After initially creating your character and completing the very brief tutorial, you'll be tasked with completing a few missions in Brooklyn before heading to Manhattan to start the game in earnest.

During these missions, make sure to collect everything you possibly can. Even if an item is below your current level, or you have a similar piece of gear with better stats, hang on to it - you can break them all down to use as crafting parts once you cross the Hudson.

There are also several gear crates to open scattered around this area:

Before heading to the evac point after completing the first main mission (Precinct Siege), head back to the Plymouth Rock safehouse to sell off any inferior gear you have, or dismantle it in the inventory menu to convert it into crafting supplies.

This will either pad your bank account so you can purchase items from the Hudson Pier checkpoint or give you extra supplies to use once you find your first crafting blueprint.

Once you arrive in Manhattan and exit the Hudson Pier camp, keep your eyes peeled for Civillians in Need, marked by orange and grey overlays.

CiN's will ask you for items such as Medkits or Canned Food and Soda. If you have these items, we highly reccomend you share them with these NPCS, as they will often drop Apparel, weapons or gear for you as a reward.

(Why they don't just trade the gear for food on their own is beyond us.)

After reaching Manhattan and establishing your Base of Operations at the NYPO, be sure to complete the first Security before moving on to any other missions.

After rescuing Sgt. Benitez, you'll be able to upgrade the Security wing of the BoO - this unlocks the Experienced Agent perk, which grants a +10% XP boost to anything you do, so you'll want to have this active before attempting to progress any further.

A few blocks south of your Base of Operations, near the corner of 8th and 24th is an alleyway between rows of apartment buildings. Make your way to the end of the alley and enter the contaminated building (marked with yellow hazard signs and sheeting).

This is also an encounter location, but more importantly each floor has rooms full of customization gear (hats, jackets, etc). There is also a lockpick door on the bottom floor containing a loot chest and some item packs. Cosmetic loot (apparel) is shared between your characters, so consider running through this location with a couple of different Agents in order to score a bunch of new outfits. </div>